newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

When it hit the northeast in 2011, Hurricane Irene forced the nuclear reactors at Oyster Creek in New Jersey to shut down. In advance of Hurricane Sandy's landfall, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says they’re closely monitoring Hurricane Sandy's track today.

16 nuclear power plants in total are standing in the way of Sandy's expected path through the northeast.

NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan told Reuters that the Public Service Enterprise Group is required to shut the three reactors at the Salem/Hope Creek plant two hours before hurricane winds of over 74 miles per hour are expected to hit. Exelon Corp's Oyster Creek and Salem 2 are already shut down.

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Oyster Creek, the nation's oldest nuclear power plant, went offline last week to replace about a third of its fuel, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Necessary maintenance cannot be conducted while the plant is in operation.

“We are prepared to protect our plant, our workers and the public no matter what this storm throws at us,” Oyster Creek Vice President Michael Massaro said, according to NJ.com. “In its 42 years of operations, Oyster Creek has withstood its share of severe weather and our storm preparations this week will ensure our readiness.”

PSEG also said that its plants in Salem County would close if the river level reaches up to100 feet from flooding.

Salem’s sites have faced security and turbines problems, while Oyster Creek has had electrical issues. ZeroHedge says most nuclear reactors in the U.S. are old and not aging well, while the NRC is relaxing safety standards for them.

Here is a list of the nuclear reactors and utilities that may be affected by the route of Sandy.